Resa Mishina Discusses Sunrise Coven, Her Journey & How Essential Kindness is!

Resa Mishina.

By. Kevin Ray Johnson (Staff Writer for OnStage Blog)

It is my biggest honor to introduce you to Resa Mishina. Resa is a New York-based dancer, actor, singer, and gymnast. She is a proud native of Yokohama, Japan, and spent her childhood years in Japan and Singapore. She started competing as a gymnast when she was 8 and has placed in several national and international competitions. In 2009, Resa was hand-picked by the Governor of Tokyo to represent the city of Tokyo at the International Olympic Committee session for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games city bid alongside the Governor, the Prime Minister of Japan, and Japanese Olympic medalists. Her speech was praised as the “secret weapon” for the Japanese team and was covered on the front page of every major newspaper in Japan. After graduating high school, she was accepted to the highly competitive musical theatre program at Rider University in New Jersey. She made her professional theatre debut in America in 2014 and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rider University with a BFA in musical theatre.

Professional credits include Ivy Watkins in the World Premiere of John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower and Ruki Minami in the US premiere of White Pearl by Anchuli Felicia King at Studio Theatre, Connie inA Chorus Line at The Wick Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Holiday Inn at The Fireside Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Connecticut Shakespeare Festival, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Annie,9 to 5, The Music Man at Flat Rock Playhouse, and Miss Saigon at Interlakes Summer Theatre. She can be heard in AlterTheatre’s radio play Br’er Peachand was a principal dancer in Kenneth Tam’sThe Crossing with The Kitchen.

Resa's story and journey truly inspire me like no other and I truly feel the sky is the limit for this talented young lady. I am so honored to have the chance to feature her!

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an Actress?

I think I was around six or seven. My mom, who is an avid theatergoer, took me to see all sorts of performances: musicals, plays, ballets, and concerts. I loved every moment I got to spend in the theater and eventually I wanted to be on the stage instead of in the seats.

Where did you study? Are there any mentors that helped make you the Amazing Performer you are today?

Growing up in Singapore and Japan, there weren't many opportunities for me to study Western theatre. Plus, I was a gymnast competing at the national level so that training took up a lot of my time. I guess my first formal training in theatre started when I enrolled in Rider University's musical theatre program. That's when I came to the United States and I am so thankful for the four years I spent learning at Rider.

I'm very lucky to have worked with many creatives and fellow performers who have become wonderful mentors of mine. But one of the most influential figures has to be Yuka Takara, who played Connie in the Broadway revival ofA Chorus Line. I first met Yuka back in 2009 when she was in Tokyo performing on the RENTtour. Since then, she has been an inspiration and mentor for me in navigating the American theatre industry as a person of color and as an immigrant. A few months after moving to New York City, I ran into her at an audition and it was a very full-circle moment for me. Yuka is still a great cheerleader of mine and I hope I'm making her proud.

Congratulations on Sunrise Coven. How has your time been at The Know Theatre of Cincinnati?

Thank you! It's my first time in Ohio and Cincinnati, and I always love getting to explore new places. Sunrise Covenis a delightful new work by Brendan Bourque-Sheil that explores very timely topics and features multi-dimensional female characters. I've been having a great time playing Annie, a young doctor in a small dying town, and getting to portray the duality of unapologetically fangirl-ing over a nurse she's idolized and coming to terms with the fact that her hero is not quite who she assumed to be. We had a great opening night and I'm excited to continue sharing this story with the Cincinnati audience.

Resa in Sunrise Coven at The Know Theatre of Cincinnati.

Are there any other shows, performances, or moments in your career that will always stick out and be near and dear to your heart?

I had the honor of representing my home country at the 121st International Olympics Committee (IOC) Session when I was 15 and that will always be one of my proudest accomplishments. Tokyo was one of the final candidates for the host city of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and I was a presenter for Team Tokyo alongside the Prime Minister of Japan, the Governor of Tokyo, and Olympic Gold medalists from Japan. I'm still in awe of my younger self and how fearless I was speaking in front of the IOC members and heads of state of multiple countries.

I recently got to originate the role of Ivy Watkins in the World Premiere of John Proctor is the Villainby Kimberly Belflower at Studio Theatre in Washington DC and it was one of the most influential experiences in my career. I was surrounded by incredible actors and creatives who constantly inspired and challenged me to do good work and keep improving. I was pinching myself every day at how lucky I was to share the stage with these talented actors and perform Kimberly's magnificent writing. I know that I will carry the joys and lessons I learned through John Proctor with me for a very long time.

What advice would you give any young artist who would like a career in the performing arts?

Surround yourself with positive people who will push you to be better, not just as an artist but as a person as well. Being in this business is already hard as it is, having a group of friends and colleagues who will support you through your bad days and celebrate your good days is so vital. Even more so as an immigrant performer. And don't forget to spread joy and offer support to others too! Relationships are a two-way street and kindness is essential.

Sunrise Coven is running at The Know Theatre of Cincinnati from now until August 21st. For more information please visit - https://www.knowtheatre.com/sunrise-coven/

And to learn more about Resa make sure you visit her official website at -https://www.resa-mishina.com